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JULY 6. ¿M/
music
One Day at a Time
The musical life of Galloway 8 Luckett
by Rebecca Ragain
arb Galloway has been playing guitar since about age 4.
Actually, it was a toy guitar at that time. But it didn’t
take long for her to graduate to the real thing and begin
a musical career spanning about 40 years, depending on
when one starts the official count.
Today, Galloway lives and performs in Portland, where she grew
up. She is nearly inseparable from her partner in life and music,
Donna Luckett.
Luckett plays bass in their musical duo, called Galloway & Luckett,
which performs at coffeehouses, farmers markets and hxikstores as well
as at events like Portland Pride and the Waterfront Blues Festival. The
Saturday and Sunday Hillsboro farmers markets are a summer favorite.
In addition, the two are often hired to play at private gigs such as
commitment ceremonies and awards dinners. Luckett, who manages
booking and organizational details, says the group averages a gig per
week throughout most of the year.
At this point in the couple’s career, Luckett rarely has to call ven
ues and ask for gigs: “We’re well known in some of these places, so
when they start bxxiking music they call us, which is really nice."
The couple are kxtking forward to a tour of England, Ireland and
Scotland this fall. In addition to several scheduled performances,
Galloway is excited to sit in on some informal jam sessions at the
pubs.
Except for the scheduled performances in Europe, Luckett plans
mostly to sit back and watch. “I don’t jam. Barb’s the real connoisseur
of music.”
In fact, it was Galloway who taught Luckett how to play bass, and
a smattering of rhythm guitar.
There is no doubt in Luckett’s mind as to who is the primary
musician of the couple, who have been together for 18 years now. “I’m
a really solid bass player. She’s taught me well. However, 1 feel like
she’s really the artist and lead musician.”
The self-described talker of the two, Luckett adds that her
role is “promoting and focusing on Barb’s talents.”
There is certainly ample talent to support. Galloway plays
the guitar, mandolin, accordion and bass. She switches genres
with ease, being proficient in jazz, blues, country and bluegrass.
In a review published in The Oregonian, Marty Hughley
wrote that Galloway’s 1997 debut album, When I’m with You,
was “worth waiting for.” He called the album “a fitting
document of what’s been a quietly we 11-respected career" and
described her guitar playing as “exemplary” and “tastefully
executed.” .
Flatpicking Guitar Magazine recently featured Galloway in
a special issue focusing on 16 women who play the acoustic
steel string guitar in the flatpick style.
Galloway wrote both the instrumental and vocal parts for
most of the songs on the couple’s two self-pr<xluced CDs and is
working on tunes for a third. When writing, she draws inspira
tion from her observations about life. Sometimes she wakes up
in the middle of the night with an idea for a song.
Galloway is also a respected music teacher at Watz Up
Hillsboro Music Co., where she usually has a waiting list. Her
students stay with her for years, in part due to her unique
Galloway was featured in Flatpicking Guitar Magazine's first Women
willingness and ability to teach them to play almost any style
Flatpickers Edition in September 2006.
of music that interests them, from heavy metal to gospel.
“Some Istudents] have joined bands, gotten to the point where
that comes up.” She also has to he careful not to overtax herself and
they’re pretty g<xxl and sent me a CD,” says Galloway, clearly pleased
performs while seated on a stool instead of standing.
by her pupils’ success.
In the nine years since the disease took hold, Galloway & Luckett
If anything outshines Galloway’s talents as a musician, composer
has yet to turn down a gig because of the disability. With the organi
and teacher, it is her courage and strength as a performer. Throughout
zational help and emotional support of Luckett, who specializes in
most of her career, female lead guitar players were rare enough in the
disability accommodation in her career as a vocational counselor,
industry that Galloway grew accustomed to being described as “the
Galloway is able to keep performing her music.
girl that plays guitar.” People made assumptions about her skills as
But it isn’t easy.
a musician because of her gender, especially in the
Now, when a group of musicians is jamming on stage, Galloway
earlier years, but she didn’t let them get her down.
has to talk herself into joining them. It isn’t the level of musical tal
“I just play my music. Most of the time the men
ent that is intimidating, it is the stairs that separate her from the stage.
will come rfp to me and ask, ‘Whoa, how did you do’
What if she falls on her way up?
such-and-such...! just be myself and play.”
Galloway says: “Now it’s me having to push myself to get up there
Now that Galloway finds the public generally to be
and do that. It’s a struggle, but either I do this or I don’t.”
more accepting of the idea that a woman can be a great
However, once Galloway starts to perform, everyone who listens
guitar player, she has a new challenge to face. In 1998,
loses any preconceptions they had about people with disabilities, says
she was diagnosed with a little-known degenerative dis
Luckett. “She takes things day by day, and she proves who she is each
time she plays. "©
order called Familial Spastic Paraparesis. (For more
Barb Galloway (left) and Donna Luckett are partners in life and music.
information visit the Spastic Paraplegia Foundation
online at www.sp-foundation.org ).
In addition to other physical complications,
Galloway has gradually been losing the ability to
walk. Nowadays, she gets around with a walker or an
electric scooter.
Galloway explains that the disease is progressive,
“so you learn as you go how to deal with the next issue
G alloway & L uckett performs 10a.m. July 15
at the Hillsboro Sunday Farmers Market in the parking area between
Orenco Station Parkway and Northeast 61st Avenue, just off Cornell
Road. For more information visit www.gallowayandluekett.com.
R ebecca R again is a freelance writer who regularly covers dance and
music for Just Out. She can be reached at rebeccaragain@yahoo.com.
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